Automatic filling-replenishing loom.



A. E. STAFFORD.

AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I I. 19w.

1,283,587. Patented Nov. 5, 1918...

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AWred E. STafford WMIMW Attys' A. E. STAFFORD.

AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11. 1917.

. 1,283,587. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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AWrd E. STuFFofd UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. STAFFORD, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPO- RATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5,1918.

Application filed August 11, 1917. Serial No. 185,645.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. STAFFORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Filling-Replenishing Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates particularly to looms provided with automatic filling replenishing mechanism, and the object of the invention is to provide for maintaining the filling taut between the fell and the boxed shuttle at the transfer end of the lay.

It is highly important that the filling be thus maintained taut: first, to insure that the filling shall extend into the path of the usual filling parting means which 0 erates between the fell and the boxed shutt e and, second, to insure that the filling shall actuate the weft fork at the transfer end of the loom when it is of the double. fork type.

In the first case, if the filling be not so heldtaut, it may not be clamped or severed by the filling parting means usually carried by the shuttle feeler, and if not so clamped and parted it may not be brought into thefield of the usual temple thread cutter and severed thereby. In either event the filling end would be broken and in all probability would be thrown or whipped into the shed and woven into the clothcausing an imperfection.

In the second case, if the loom is of the double fork type and the filling be not so held taut, it may so affect the operation of the weft fork at the transfer end of the loom as to cause the weft fork to effect an undesired or unnecessary change in the operation of the loom. For example; this Weft fork usually controls the let-back of the take-up and a loose filling would have the same effect upon the weft fork as absence of filling and would cause the take-up to let; back when not required so that the result would be to weave a thick place in the cloth.

In weaving cloth in which a comparatively heavy filling is used any of these im the end would break and the broken end be thrown or whipped into the shed and woven into the cloth thus causing the same character of imperfection which it was sought to avoid. If, also, the end did not break, it mightstill, because of the tension, fail to clear the shuttle eye and then be carried into the cloth thus making an imperfection.

In the patent to Roper, No. 701,938, granted June 10th, 1902, some of the difiiculties which are here by this invention remedied, were pointed out. The pressing device illustrated in the said patent was located at the entrance to the shuttle box and was constantly in engagement with the boxed shuttle. While in the present invention use is made of the pressing device mounted on the shuttle box as the preferred means for secur ing the object of the invention, this pressing device by this invention is located near the inner or closed end of the shuttle box and adjacent the shuttle eye. At this point the boxed shuttle is firmly clamped betweenthe usual binder and the front wall of the shutt-le box, while at the admission end of the shuttle box there is usually a very loose fit or even a space between the shuttle and the front wall of the shuttle box which prevents the accurate control of the filling by the pressing device.

This invention also provides means for the releasing of the" frictional engagement of the filling during the operation of replenishment or until the trailing end of the ejected filling carrier has cleared the frictional engaging or pressing means. Thus there is no danger of the filling being broken by reason of the tension or friction caused by said frictional engaging or pressing means and consequently no trailing end of the abandoned filling left to be woven into the cloth.

The objects of the invention will more fully appear from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse view of a portion of a loom provided with automatic filling replenishing mechanism and showing the loom provided with the preferred form of construction embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partially in horizontal cross section of the lay at the transfer end of the loom.

Fig. 3 is a vieweimilar to Fig. 2. for temporarily locking the pressing device out of action.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3. g

The general construction and operation of this type of loom, known as the Northrop loom is so well known and familiar to those skilled in the art as to need -no detailed illustration and description. A portion of the loom side 1, breast beam 2, hopper 3 for the supply of fresh filling carriers 4;, the lay sword 5, the lay 6, and the usual type of transferrer 7, are shown. It will be remembered that upon failure or absence of the running filling or partial or entire exhaustion of the running filling carrier, a call for filling replenishment iselfected through suitable means which cause the operation of the usual rock shaft 8.

The shuttle feeler carried by the pivoted arm 9 supported on the bracket 10 is of a familiar type as illustrated. This shuttle feeler upon the call for filling replenishment is swung rearwardly and if the shuttle is improperly boxed contacts therewith and prevents the operation of filling replenishment.

This shuttle feeler is shown as carrying a familiar type of filling clamping and parting means 11, thepurpose of which is to clamp and sever the filling, extending from the fell to the boxed shuttle, adjacent to the end of the shuttle when filling replenishment takes place and then to carry the parted end forwardly to bring it into the path of the usual temple thread cutter operating at the selvage.

In Fig. 2 the shuttle 12 is shown boxed at the transfer end of the lay 6 with its nose against the picker 13. In this position the shuttle is held clamped between the leather friction surface 14- of the front wall 15 of the shuttle box and the usual binder 16. The running filling carrier 17 is shown as a bobbin with the filling end 18 extending back to the fell. This filling runs from the tip of the bobbin out through the eye of the shuttle located about at the point 19 and thence along between the shuttle and the facing ll.

In the preferred form of this invention an aperture 20 is formed in the front wall and facing of the shuttle box near the inner or closed end of the shuttle box and adjacent the shuttle eye of the boxed shuttle. Through this hole operates the device for frictionally. engaging the filling which is herein shown as the presser 21. This presser at its face is formed of any suitable frictional material for engaging the filling and is herein shown as consisting of a bunch of bristles. The presser 21 of the preferred form illustrated is supported at one end of the lever 22 fulcrumed at 23 on the shuttle box. Means, such as a coiled spring 24, extending between one arm of the lever 22 and the shuttle box act to cause the lever to press the presser into yielding engagement with the face of the boxed shuttle and consequently into frictional engagement with the filling extending along the face of the shuttle.

When now the shuttle enters the box at the transfer end of the loom the filling is frictionally engaged by the presser 21 during the end of the boxing movement of the shuttle and consequently during the end of the beat-up of the lay so that the filling end 18 extending to the fell is maintained taut, thus avoiding any undesired or unnecessary action of the weft fork, if there be one at the transfer end of the loom, and also insuring that the filling end shall be brought into the path of the filling clampin and parting means carried by the shuttle feeler so that, if the filling replenishing be called for, the filling end shall with certainty be clamped and parted and then carried forward into the field of operation of the usual temple thread cutter.

If, when the shuttle is boxed, filling replenishment has been called for it is necessary that the frictional engagement of the presser with the filling be released during transfer or at least until the trailing en extending from the abandoned or ejected filling carrier has been drawn past the presser so that it will not be caught and held thereby and broken off to be whipped or thrown back into the shed and woven into thecloth. This invention; provides means for effecting such trelease, a pre ferred form of which means is illustrated.

Thetransferrer 7 isusually operated by a dog 25 which, upon the call for filling reple'nishment, is lifted into the lpath of a hunter 26 on the lay. To this deg there is here, adjustably attached by means of a clamping screw 27 a finger 28, which finger upon the call for filling replenishment is lifted along with the dog 25 so as to come into the path of the end of lever 22. Consequently as the lay beats-up and transfer takes place the finger 28 pressing on the lever 22 holds the presser 21 out of engagement with the shuttle thus releasing the friction on the filling until the trailing end,

drawn by the ejected bobbin, has cleared or ing pr latching the presser or frictional engaging means out of engagement with the shuttle for a predetermined period, as for example, from the initiation of the filling replenishment until the shuttle returns to the transfer end of the loom. For this purpose there is here shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a latch bar 30 mounted to slide longitudinally on the front face of the shuttle box and held in position by the screws or bolts 31 passmg through slots in the bar and into the shuttle box wall. This latch bar is pulled in the direction of the presser by a helical spring 32 fast at one end to E one of the bolts or screws 31 and at the opposite end to a lug 33 on the bar 30. A strap or flexible connector 34 extends from the outer end of the bar around the picker and is secured at 35 to the rear wall of the shuttle box. Preferabl this strap is provided with a yielding bu er 36 between it and the picker.

Under normal conditions the presser 21 will be held by the lever 22 in contact with the shuttle, as shown in Fig. 2, and at this time either the latch 30 will butt against the right hand end of the lever 22 and be held yieldingly against it by the spring 32, or the shuttle, butting against the picker, will through the connector 34 be holding the.

latch-bar against the tension of spring 32. Upon the initiation of transfer as the fresh filling carrier is forced by the transferrer 7 into the shuttle it strikes at its butt the usual inclined guide 37 of the shuttle and, if the shuttle is so far advanced as to be holding the latch bar against its spring 32, crowds the shuttle back slightly until it enters the usual aws 38 when the shuttle will be in position to free the latch bar. When the finger 28 contacts with and rocks the lever 22 the latch 30 will snap in behind the end of the lever 22 as shown in Fig. 3 and thus lock the presser out of engagement with the shuttle.

This condition will continue until the shuttle has been picked across the loom and returned to the transfer end when contacting with the picker it will through the strap 34 force the latch 30 to the right releasingthe presser which under the pressure of spring 24 will swin into frictional en agement with the shutt e and the latch will again butt against the lever 22, or be held by the shuttle out of contact therewith. Thus the presser is held out of frictional engagement with the shuttle and the filling fora predetermined period, in this case two picks.

I claim 1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle adapted to contain a supply of filling, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, filling parting means operating between the fell and the boxed shuttle, means located adjacent the eye of the shuttle when boxed and operative as theshuttle nears the completion of its entry into the box to press the filling against the shuttle adjacent its eye and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle and insure its extending into the path of the filling parting means.

2. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, means operative as the shuttle nears the completion of its entry into the box to press the filling against the shuttle adjacent its eye and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means acting upon replenishment to prevent said means from so pressing the filling against the shuttle until the trailing end of the ejected filling carrier has cleared said means.

3. In an automatic filling. replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, means operative prior to the completion of the boxing of the shuttle to press the filling against the shuttle and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means acting upon replenishment to prevent said means from so pressing the filling against the shuttle until the trailing end of the ejected filling carrier has cleared said means.

4. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and'a shuttle box thereon, means operative prior to the completion of the boxing of the shuttle to press the filling against the shuttle and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means acting to maintain said pressing means out of action during ejection of a spent filling carrier and its trailing end.

5. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, and means for frictionally engaging the filling of the boxed shuttle at the transfer end of the lay and for releasing said engagement while filling replenishment is being effected.

6. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling cariiier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, and means for frictionally engagin the filling of boxed shuttle at the trans er end of the lay and for releasing said engagement upon filling replenishment taking place and until the trailing end of the ejected filling carrier has cleared the point of frictional engagement.

7. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, the said shuttle box having an aperture through its front wall adjacent the eye of the boxed shuttle, a lever pivoted on the lay and provided with a frictional engaging means opposite said aperture, means for yieldingly pressing said lever to cause said frictional engaging means to press the filling against the face of the boxed shuttle and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means operative upon replenishment to rock said lever and withdraw said frictional engaging means and hold itoutef'action during ejection of the spent filling carrier and its trailing end.

8. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, a transferrer, a dog for operating said transferrer, a finger connected to said dog, means mounted on the lay and operative prior to the completion of the boxing of the shuttle to press the filling against the shuttle and thus maintain the. filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, the said means being so located with reference to said finger that upon the operation of the transferrer the said means will be struck by said finger and act to release said pressing means.

9. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, means operative prior to the completion of the boxing of the shuttle to press the filling against the shuttle and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means acting upon replenishment to withdraw said pressing means and lock it out of operation for a predetermined period.

10. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and a shuttle box thereon, means operative prior to the completion of the boxing of the shuttle to press the filling against the shuttle and thus maintain the filling taut from the fell to the shuttle, and means acting upon replenishment to Withdraw said pressing means and lock it out of operation until fheshuttle returns to the transfer end of the 11. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a shuttle containing a filling carrier, a lay and shuttle box thereon, the said shuttle box having an aperture through its front wall adjacent the eye of the boxed shuttle, a lever pivoted on the lay and provided with a frictional engaging means opposite said aperture, means for yieldingly rocking the lever to cause said frictional engaging means to contact with the filling of the boxed shuttle, a latch bar slidingly mounted on the shuttle box, yieldingly drawn toward said lever, and movable between said lever and the shuttle box when the lever is rocked to withdraw said frictional engaging means, and a connection between said latch bar and the picker whereby the latch bar is moved in an opposite direction to release the lever.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED E. STAFFU. 

